Real Purity Blog

New Meals from Holiday Leftovers

After every hosted holiday, you’re bound to have leftovers. Leftover ham, turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, corn casserole…the list is endless. However, the days of eating leftovers don’t have to feel that way. Check out this list of new meals we’ve discovered from holiday leftovers.

Ham

Ham is one of the most versatile leftovers to have, which is why it’s a favorite to make in our household. Not only can you toss leftover pieces of ham in everything from crepes to breakfast scrambles; you can whip up an amazing hambone soup (like this featured recipe at Damn Delicious) or you can toss together these Hawaiian Roll ham sandwiches for the next football get together.

Sweet Potatoes

There are a few things you can use your leftover sweet potatoes for. Whipped sweet potatoes are an easy solution to already cooked sweet potatoes and can be eaten as is or used in other recipes. You can also make the Holiday Left-Over Sweet Potato Cake with them, or even score some more breakfast foods with this Sweet Potato Waffle recipe from Alton Brown.

Mashed Potatoes

Just like cooked sweet potatoes, cooked mashed potatoes can be a surprisingly versatile option for future meals. Try these Cheesy Mashed Potato Puffs (which sound good for any meal) or add some crisp with these Old Fashioned Potato Cakes. If you don’t really want the mashed potatoes again as a main ingredient, try something different; use them as a topping, for items like Shepherds Pie, or add them in as a surprise ingredient to this Gluten-free Lemon Drizzle Cake.

Turkey

Turkey, just like ham, is an ingredient that works in a variety of recipes; but how can you amp it up without drying it out? We love taking this main ingredient and soaking it in soups, like this recipe for Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup, or adding a touch of style to the breakfast table with this Turkey & Cheddar Quiche. Of course, you can turn to some classic casserole dishes (we recommend this list of 18) or following some of the same ideas as those for ham, like the Hawaiian Roll sliders above.

Re-purposing leftovers can be an art, especially when you’re trying to repurpose without eating the same meal over and over again. Hopefully with this list, however, we’ve given you a couple of ideas that you can run with on your own.